Some of the words are cutesy (kerfuffle, jubilee). Others are onomatopoeic, with a similar sound to the idea they’re describing (meow, clink, squeak). Some are bizarre sounding (for example, syzygy: ...

There’s a fair chance that at some point you’ve been told that you’re using hopefully wrong: Purists insist that it can only mean “in a hopeful manner” and not “it is to be hoped that.” But who are ...

Of course, it's impossible to provide an exact number of words in English, since new words are being added to the dictionary, and falling out of use, pretty much constantly. But what's an approximate ...

Over ten percent of the student population in the United States is comprised of English Language Learners. Given that reality, the role of a student’s home language merits discussion. Use of students’ ...

The study of pragmatics and variation in English language use encompasses an examination of how context, speaker intention, and cultural nuances interact to shape communication. It addresses the ...

In 1940, St. Clair McKelway typed a memo to William Shawn, The New Yorker’s managing editor for fact. McKelway was writing a six-part Profile of Walter Winchell for the magazine, and he was unhappy ...

Supported by the School of Graduate Studies, Spoken English Language Programs (SELP) offers free English language and US academic and social culture training programs for Case Western Reserve ...

A recent article in The Guardian, UK titled “Why it’s time to stop worrying about the decline of the English language,” critically outlines the issues regarding the possibility of a breakdown in ...

In April, the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary did something unusual. For the previous 20 years, they had issued quarterly updates to announce new words and meanings selected for inclusion.